Inhibition of hepatitis B virus by retroviral vectors expressing antisenses pre C/C

Retroviral vector expresing antisense RNA complementary to HBV pre C/C (ANTI - C) was used to transduce human hepatoblastoma cell 2. 2. 15, which was transfected with HBV DNA and can express HBV markers. The results showed that the inhibitory effects of antisense gene transfer mediated by retroviral vector ANTI - C on the expression of HBV antigens appeared as early as on the 3rd day after transduction, reached peak level on the fifth day, and persisted at least for 11 days. The inhibitory rates of HBsAg and HBeAg in 2. 2. 15 cells by ANTI - C were 27. 0 %and 59. 5 % on the fifth day after transduction, and in comparison to blank or sense - expressing vectors, the inhibitory effects of ANTI - C were highly significant (P＜0.01 ). HBV DNA in the supernatants of 2. 2. 15 cells transduced with ANTl - C in comparison to blank or SENSE - C was also reduced on the fifth day after transduction as detected by DNA dot blot assays, but the viability of transduced 2. 2. 15 cells was not affected as indicated by MTT assay